Viparspectra 165watt, Anyone using these?

Bishopreef

Community Member
View Badges
Joined
Dec 11, 2019
Messages
33
Reaction score
6
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I have a 28 length by 12 wide by 16 deep with roughly 2 inch sand. Light is 9 inch of water level set at blues 50 8.00am to 8pm white at 10 from 9.30am to 6.30pm. My zoa is struggling it seems and my grass is not away out. Picture posted. Any advise. I also have this strange clear like grass algae. I'm new to the reef world. Go easy

20191211_171258.jpg 20191211_174445.jpg
 

Bishopreef

Community Member
View Badges
Joined
Dec 11, 2019
Messages
33
Reaction score
6
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Hey guys,

I’m still running these 15% blue 1% white. I’m getting decent growth on my zoas. I have a few other corals also but they haven’t been in long enough to record any growth. My question is:

If I’m noticing results is it wise to start ramping up? Seems like there’s such a fine line from where coral is thriving and where they are not so happy. Is it a ramp up until I notice negative results, then back down kind of process? Or is it wise to practice the old “if it ain’t broke don’t fix it”? Here’s a picture of my zoanthids 19 days of growth...
671F80B6-79F2-43B7-A784-F04B632367D5.jpeg


Here’s a picture of my yellow tip Acro that’s only been in my tank for 5 days. Polyp extension has improved the last few days but way too soon to expect any growth...
1B65234F-262A-432C-A9FE-2B8E6DC7CA86.jpeg


I’m going to try and get on the list to use the PAR meter available by my local club but not sure when that’s going to be.


Mike
How high is your light of the water surface and how deep is your tank ?
 
OP
OP
Nicholas Dushynsky

Nicholas Dushynsky

Valuable Member
View Badges
Joined
Jul 30, 2017
Messages
1,199
Reaction score
1,349
Location
Devon, England
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I have a 28 length by 12 wide by 16 deep with roughly 2 inch sand. Light is 9 inch of water level set at blues 50 8.00am to 8pm white at 10 from 9.30am to 6.30pm. My zoa is struggling it seems and my grass is not away out. Picture posted. Any advise. I also have this strange clear like grass algae. I'm new to the reef world. Go easy

20191211_171258.jpg 20191211_174445.jpg
Firstly how old is your tank? How long have you had the zoas?
what are your levels as in alk, mag, calcium, salinity, temp nitrate and phosphates?
Secondly looking at the rock, I would say you have used dry rock and it is possibly leaching phosphates and still going through a cycle of some sort and the algae I'm not sure on. Also as your light is that close, and rock work that high, maybe 3 inches or so off the surface, I would say it's getting alot of light so I would turn the blues down to 25 and white to 3 and leave it there for a while. These are powerful lights and zoas dont need loads of light. How long have you had the light at those settings? I'm running mine also 9 inches off the water on an 18" high tank but 40 blue 4 white (previously 35b 3w) I'm growing montipora half way up my rockwork.
This is my tank lastnight. I have a zoa on a frag plug in the bottom left of the pic as far away from the light and its finally opening but it didn't open for nearly a week.
Screenshot_20191212-055553_Gallery.jpg
 

Bishopreef

Community Member
View Badges
Joined
Dec 11, 2019
Messages
33
Reaction score
6
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Firstly how old is your tank? How long have you had the zoas?
what are your levels as in alk, mag, calcium, salinity, temp nitrate and phosphates?
Secondly looking at the rock, I would say you have used dry rock and it is possibly leaching phosphates and still going through a cycle of some sort and the algae I'm not sure on. Also as your light is that close, and rock work that high, maybe 3 inches or so off the surface, I would say it's getting alot of light so I would turn the blues down to 25 and white to 3 and leave it there for a while. These are powerful lights and zoas dont need loads of light. How long have you had the light at those settings? I'm running mine also 9 inches off the water on an 18" high tank but 40 blue 4 white (previously 35b 3w) I'm growing montipora half way up my rockwork.
This is my tank lastnight. I have a zoa on a frag plug in the bottom left of the pic as far away from the light and its finally opening but it didn't open for nearly a week.
Screenshot_20191212-055553_Gallery.jpg
Alk is at 8, calcium is high trying to get it down from 500, nit is pretty much 0, temp ranges from 74.4 to 76 due to lights being on, salinity I'm unsure as it's from the reef shop I use. I bought the dry rock from there and cured it for two weeks in three baths of RODI water before it went in the tank. The tank is two months old now. My zoa is only a week old. My doing a phosphate test now
 
OP
OP
Nicholas Dushynsky

Nicholas Dushynsky

Valuable Member
View Badges
Joined
Jul 30, 2017
Messages
1,199
Reaction score
1,349
Location
Devon, England
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I'd say that's probably the rock and 0.25 might be a false reading as the algae that is in there is using it, same goes for the nitrates. so it could be higher than that. When you cycle rock it should be in salt water and for 2 weeks, that isn't long. I'd say your temp is a little low, most run at 78. Did you use a bacteria in a bottle to start your tank? A refractometer is a handy device to have also when topping of your tank from the evaporation what are you adding?
How long have you had the fish in there?
 
Last edited:

Bishopreef

Community Member
View Badges
Joined
Dec 11, 2019
Messages
33
Reaction score
6
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I'd say that's probably the rock and 0.25 might be a false reading as the algae that is in there is using it, same goes for the nitrates. so it could be higher than that. When you cycle rock it shfuould be in salt water and for 2 weeks, that isn't long. I'd say your temp is a little low, most run at 78. Did you use a bacteria in a bottle to start your tank? A refractometer is a handy device to have also when topping of your tank from the evaporation what are you adding?
How long have you had the fish in there?
[/QU

Fish have been in for about 4 weeks. Just took my water to the shop. Phosphate level correct. Alk, nit, cal, all good

Bought chemi pure to fix problem.

15761800578426696080872760421749.jpg
 
OP
OP
Nicholas Dushynsky

Nicholas Dushynsky

Valuable Member
View Badges
Joined
Jul 30, 2017
Messages
1,199
Reaction score
1,349
Location
Devon, England
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Also I see in the photos you have fish in there how long have you had them?
Yes i used bacteria
Ok cool I still think 74-76 is on the lower temp side. Corals like zoas and other lps even sps nee nitrates and phosphates. Just a word of warning dont use too much and drop the phosphates to zero. That's what killed 99% of my sps only montipora digitata but it still hurts buying frags growing it so well , that I made enough money to buy a tank for may bedroom. Just that I am now doing nitrates and phosphates and what had survived is how slowly growing again.
You have a very new tank and using dry rock it does take a lot longer to become stable, please dont rush.
 

Bishopreef

Community Member
View Badges
Joined
Dec 11, 2019
Messages
33
Reaction score
6
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Also I see in the photos you have fish in there how long have you had them?

Ok cool I still think 74-76 is on the lower temp side. Corals like zoas and other lps even sps nee nitrates and phosphates. Just a word of warning dont use too much and drop the phosphates to zero. That's what killed 99% of my sps only montipora digitata but it still hurts buying frags growing it so well , that I made enough money to buy a tank for may bedroom. Just that I am now doing nitrates and phosphates and what had survived is how slowly growing again.
You have a very new tank and using dry rock it does take a lot longer to become stable, please dont rush.

I am adjusting my temperture over the next couple of days. I'm going to keep an eye on my levels. I wasnt checking for phosphate enough and my test wasnt that accurate so I have bought a new one. Hopefully better results. I've also moved my zoa lower into the tank
 
Last edited:

coralkurd

Community Member
View Badges
Joined
Sep 21, 2019
Messages
84
Reaction score
107
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
so I am a new reefer and I just cant stomach spending hundreds on expensive lights when this does not come before family lol. so I got a $40 amazon gift card for my birthday and I went ahead and applied for that amazon credit card (which I will never use) just to get that free $100. anyways I got 2-165w for $100 lol. cant wait till they come in because I am tired of my 2 strip lights that sit on the tank. always scared to death that they will get wet and die.

anyways, does anyone have suggestions on what setting I should start with when they come in? I have all lps. I have a big weeping willow and hammer colony that sit midway in my 75g tank now.
 
OP
OP
Nicholas Dushynsky

Nicholas Dushynsky

Valuable Member
View Badges
Joined
Jul 30, 2017
Messages
1,199
Reaction score
1,349
Location
Devon, England
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
so I am a new reefer and I just cant stomach spending hundreds on expensive lights when this does not come before family lol. so I got a $40 amazon gift card for my birthday and I went ahead and applied for that amazon credit card (which I will never use) just to get that free $100. anyways I got 2-165w for $100 lol. cant wait till they come in because I am tired of my 2 strip lights that sit on the tank. always scared to death that they will get wet and die.

anyways, does anyone have suggestions on what setting I should start with when they come in? I have all lps. I have a big weeping willow and hammer colony that sit midway in my 75g tank now.
Hi, I would start low and depending on height off the water I would start at 25 blue and maybe 2-5 white. I ran mine at 35 blue 3 white for ages I'm now at 40 blue 3 white. My tank is 18 inches tall and the light is 9 inches off the water
Screenshot_20191212-055553_Gallery.jpg
 

coralkurd

Community Member
View Badges
Joined
Sep 21, 2019
Messages
84
Reaction score
107
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Hi, I would start low and depending on height off the water I would start at 25 blue and maybe 2-5 white. I ran mine at 35 blue 3 white for ages I'm now at 40 blue 3 white. My tank is 18 inches tall and the light is 9 inches off the water
Screenshot_20191212-055553_Gallery.jpg

How long could I run them for? And could I run them for? My current lights turn on around 12:30 pm and **** off at like 9:40 pm. Also could I run just blues for like and hour early and **** off an hour later then whites?
 

Brent Harpe

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Feb 8, 2019
Messages
246
Reaction score
485
Location
Indiana
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
B51B011C-89CB-4BD9-8E76-CC8E6F97D5CB.jpeg


I run mine blues on 8:30 am off at 8 pm whites on at 9:30 am until 7:00 pm. I don’t see why you couldn’t run yours during those times. If that’s when your able to see your tank I would run them then. Yes do blues first then last that allows your coral from getting blasted with full light right away. It allows them to wake up so to speak lol
 

Bishopreef

Community Member
View Badges
Joined
Dec 11, 2019
Messages
33
Reaction score
6
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
B51B011C-89CB-4BD9-8E76-CC8E6F97D5CB.jpeg


I run mine blues on 8:30 am off at 8 pm whites on at 9:30 am until 7:00 pm. I don’t see why you couldn’t run yours during those times. If that’s when your able to see your tank I would run them then. Yes do blues first then last that allows your coral from getting blasted with full light right away. It allows them to wake up so to speak lol
Where did you get your tank?

I want something bigger but my wife loves the vintage look and struggling to find something she likes too
 

Brent Harpe

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Feb 8, 2019
Messages
246
Reaction score
485
Location
Indiana
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Where did you get your tank?

I want something bigger but my wife loves the vintage look and struggling to find something she likes too

Where did you get your tank?

I want something bigger but my wife loves the vintage look and struggling to find something she likes too

I bought the tank, stand, canopy, 100lbs of dry rock, and sump off a guy by me for 450. It’s a 180. The stand was a dirty brown but I painted it white and now that’s what it looks like. I’m happy with it tons of room. I have a spreadsheet for everything I have in it and it’s nowhere near full. I have like 10 fish and 30 corals and it still looks empty lol that’s the only problem with a big tank.
 

Pau Hana Reefer

got reef?
View Badges
Joined
Dec 18, 2018
Messages
1,340
Reaction score
10,075
Location
Pennsylvania
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
This. Thread. Is. Awesome.

I have two Viparspectre 165w on my 90 gallon. My lights are about 7" above the water surface. Before reading this thread, I had mine set at 12% white and 32% blue. Yesterday, I adjusted them to 5% white and 38% blue, and will be ramping up my blue to 50%.

Great to hear about everyone's setup and successes. And big 'thank you' to @icejam for the chart!
 

Brent Harpe

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Feb 8, 2019
Messages
246
Reaction score
485
Location
Indiana
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
So I just went back and looked at the chart my lights are set at 100 blues and 25 white. Are you guys saying that with surface agitation my lights are making 590ish par on the sand bed or at the surface? Is that directly below the lights? Or out at the 24in mark of the max coverage area? Thanks. I was just going back through the post and while everything in my tank looks fine I’m wondering if things could look better with dialing the lights back a bit.
My tanks 18 inches tall.
754DC0B4-1049-421A-AEF3-1E88E7127038.jpeg
 
Last edited:

Tentacled trailblazer in your tank: Have you ever kept a large starfish?

  • I currently have a starfish in my tank.

    Votes: 27 30.3%
  • Not currently, but I have kept a starfish in the past.

    Votes: 21 23.6%
  • I have never kept a starfish, but I hope to in the future.

    Votes: 22 24.7%
  • I have no plans to keep a starfish.

    Votes: 19 21.3%
  • Other.

    Votes: 0 0.0%
Back
Top